Support Page Content
President's Messages
President Luke Wood’s messages to students, faculty, and staff
Support and resources related to immigration enforcement
February 4, 2025 - Sacramento State is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for all members of our campus community, regardless of immigration status. Presidential executive orders and other messaging coming from the federal government are understandably creating anxiety, fear, and questions about how to navigate potential interactions with immigration enforcement officials in the event they come to campus. In this message, we are sharing important tools, guidelines, and upcoming opportunities for education.
This message is divided into two sections: guidance for employees who may need to interact with immigration enforcement officers on behalf of the university; and guidance to students and employees who may be the target of immigration enforcement actions.
GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYEES WHO MAY NEED TO INTERACT WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
1. Sacramento State is a public university and a large portion of our campus, like all CSU campuses, is open to the public. The areas on campus that are open to the public, like the campus quads and walkways, are also open to federal immigration enforcement officers. However, immigration officers cannot enter areas that are not open to the public, such as residence halls, classrooms while class is in session, confidential meeting rooms and spaces, or employee offices unless the officer presents a valid judicial warrant or declares that exigent circumstances exist. Exigent circumstances are emergency situations that would allow immigration officers to enter a location without a judicial warrant. (For more information see CSU FAQ No. 2)
2. Sacramento State has designated two administrators to review all immigration enforcement documents. If an immigration enforcement officer approaches you to gain access to a nonpublic area of the University campus, or to obtain confidential student or employee records, do not voluntarily grant access. Respectfully inform the officer that you lack authority but will immediately contact our designated campus administrators, whose contact information is listed below. If neither of these administrators is available, contact the University Police Department (UPD) at 916-278-6000.
Machelle Martin, senior associate vice president for Human Resources, 916-278-4400, machelle.martin@csus.edu
Bill Hèbert, associate vice president and dean of students, 916-278-6602, b.hebert@csus.edu
3. If immigration enforcement officers declare exigent circumstances, or enter nonpublic spaces without permission, do not interfere or obstruct them. Immediately contact UPD at 916-278-6000.
4. The CSU has prepared the following resource materials to educate and assist employees concerning interactions with immigration enforcement officials:
→ FAQs for CSU Employees about Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions on University Property.
→ Presentation Slides: Responding to Immigration Enforcement Requests to Access Nonpublic Areas on Campus and/or Student or Employee Records; training posted to CSULearn.
→ Quick Reference Guide: What to Do If a Federal Immigration Enforcement Officer Requests Access to University Property or Records.
→ California Attorney General Guidance and Model Polices to Assist Universities in Responding to Immigration Issues.
5. Additional Resources
→ Resources for Undocumented Students
→ Free Legal Immigration Services
→ Sacramento State’s Immigration-related Information and Resources page
GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS/EMPLOYEES PERSONALLY IMPACTED BY ENFORCEMENT
Sacramento State is dedicated to supporting all students, staff and faculty. Many support resources are available concerning immigration enforcement activities.
Talk to a Free Immigration Service Provider. Get free legal advice now and plan how to respond to potential immigration enforcement encounters. To schedule an appointment, visit the Dreamer Resource Center and click on Free Immigration and Legal Services.
Make a Plan. Access the Immigration Preparedness Toolkit and Family Preparedness Plan developed by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center to help immigrants with no legal status or in a mixed-status household create a strategy to protect themselves and their family members.
Know Your Rights. Take time to figure out which documents you should and should not carry with you. Always carry a red card documenting your immigration rights card. Printed copies are available at the Dreamer Resource Center. For more information, see this handout from the Immigration Legal Resource Center.
University Support. Contact Dean of Students Bill Hèbert at 916-278-6602, or senior associate vice president for Human Resources Machelle Martin at 916-278-4400 if you are approached by ICE or become aware of ICE presence on campus.
Stay Informed. CSU promotes and posts free webinars presented by our Immigration Legal Resource Providers on its webpage, including a list of upcoming webinars.
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ON CAMPUS
Counseling and Mental Health Services: Student Health, Counseling, and Wellness Services offers confidential support for students dealing with stress, anxiety, and other mental and emotional needs that comes with being undocumented or mixed-status.
Dreamer Resource Center: Engage with the Dreamer Resource Center, a space that offers support, resources, and advocacy for undocumented and mixed-status family students.
Cultural and Identity-based Resource Centers: If you are navigating the intersection of undocumented status with other identities, our numerous cultural and academic resource centers offer additional support and resources.
Basic Needs and Crisis Assistance Support: Utilize resources like the basic needs food pantry, emergency housing assistance, and financial support for essential needs to lighten the cost of necessities.
Legal Services: Access free legal assistance through the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) for matters related to immigration, DACA renewals, and other legal issues impacting undocumented students. Make an appointment here.
Academic and Tutoring Support: Engage with academic counseling and tutoring services to ensure you have the support you need to navigate your courses by visiting the Peer & Academic Resource Center.
Workshops and Information Sessions: Attend workshops that address key topics including immigration laws, DACA updates, and know your rights strategies during this time. Register here.
EMPLOYEE SUPPORT SERVICES ON CAMPUS
Employee Assistance Program. Mental health and wellness resources for faculty and staff are available through the Employee Assistance Program.
Legal Services: Employees are entitled to free legal assistance for matters related to immigration, DACA renewals, and other legal issues impacting employees. Make an appointment here.
We remain committed to student success and educational access for all of our students. Our guiding principles are rooted in our mission, student needs, and our role as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANHPI-SI), and a Black-Serving Institution (BSI).
Now more than ever, a strong, welcoming, and inclusive community is essential to our ability to achieve our mission, and we remain dedicated to ensuring that every member of our campus feels supported, valued, and empowered to succeed. Please continue to take care of one another.
The Spring 2025 Commencement schedule is now available
January 24, 2025 - It is with great excitement that we announce that spring 2025 Commencement ceremonies will take place May 16 and 17 at Golden 1 Center. We look forward to celebrating all spring and summer 2025 graduates with their friends and families.
Sacramento State’s Commencement website has been updated with the detailed schedule and other important information about spring Commencement ceremonies. Spring and summer 2025 graduates should read the “Graduate Information and FAQ” page for answers to common Commencement-related questions.
Eligible graduates must register to participate in Spring Commencement. In early March, eligible graduating students will receive an email to indicate that the Commencement registration link in their Student Center is active so they can register and claim guest tickets. Each eligible graduate will be allotted seven guest tickets to their specific ceremony. A step-by-step guide to claiming guest tickets will be available on the Commencement website in early March.
Only spring 2025 and summer 2025 graduates are eligible to participate in spring 2025 Commencement ceremonies. We are unable to accommodate requests for exceptions.
We look forward to celebrating this significant occasion with our Hornet Family.
Stingers Up!
Introducing our first VP for Research & Innovation
January 13, 2025 - Earlier today we announced the appointment of Dr. Erika Cameron to the position of provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, and that Interim Provost Dr. Carlos Nevarez will continue to serve in that role until Dr. Cameron joins us on March 17.
I am excited to also announce that Dr. Nevarez has agreed to serve in an inaugural senior leadership role, as interim vice president for research and innovation. At the fall budget town hall, I shared that given our current budget outlook, we would be creating this critical position to help support research, creative endeavors, and economic development by increasing the amount of indirect dollars brought to campus. Dr. Nevarez will assume this role when his tenure as provost ends.
In this new role, Dr. Nevarez will be responsible for advancing knowledge through research, scholarship, and creative activities, providing leadership and collaborative guidance to the Offices of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development (ORIED), Sponsored Projects (SPA), campus research centers, graduate studies, and doctoral programs, as well as regional campuses, including Placer Center.
This position was created in response to concerns raised during our fall 2023 listening sessions around our support for research and the need to create the infrastructure necessary to expand research productivity. Currently, Sacramento State is one of the top universities in the CSU system in terms of total grant and contracts awards. These awards provide funds to researchers to advance our mission and directly support scholarship, labs, and studios. In this new role, Dr. Nevarez will lead our efforts to support and expand these efforts and move Strategic Action items 5 and 6 forward.
Dr. Nevarez’ deep expertise in educational leadership, proven track record of scholarly productivity, and comprehensive understanding of our institutional dynamics based on his 24 years at Sacramento State make him an ideal and highly qualified candidate to drive our research and economic development initiatives. Dr. Nevarez previously served as a professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, founding director of our nationally ranked Doctorate in Educational Leadership program, and division chair of Graduate and Professional Studies in the College of Education before taking on the role of interim provost in January 2022.
Under his leadership, Sacramento State achieved significant improvements in student success metrics, including increasing four-year graduation rates from 21% to 30%, maintaining 81% one-year retention rates, and reducing DFW rates by 5-10% across colleges. His efforts in advancing faculty research development led to a 30% increase in grant awards, while his equity-focused leadership resulted in successful initiatives like the disbursement of $1.6 million in Provost Grants to 1,820 students to support academic success and increase graduation rates. As steward of a $229 million Academic Affairs budget, he managed resources effectively while implementing strategic financial frameworks and faculty development initiatives that contributed to Sacramento State's ranking as the No. 5 Best Undergraduate Teaching Institution in the West by U.S. News & World Report.
Dr. Nevarez’ nationally recognized scholarship includes over 30 publications spanning articles, books, policy briefs, and technical reports, earning him the Dr. Carlos J. Vallejo Memorial Award for Lifetime Scholarship from the American Education Research Association’s Multicultural/Multiethnic Education Special Interest Group in 2022.
Please join me in thanking Dr. Nevarez for his service as provost over the last three years, and in congratulating him on this new role. We are excited about our two incoming senior leaders, whose expertise and vision will help drive innovation and excellence at Sacramento State.
Stingers Up!
Erika Cameron, Ph.D., named Provost and Senior VP for Academic Affairs
January 13, 2025 - After a competitive national search, I am pleased to share that Erika Cameron, Ph.D., will join us as provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs beginning March 17. Dr. Cameron is an accomplished academic leader with a proven track record of advancing academic excellence, supporting faculty development, and fostering inclusive educational environments.
Dr. Cameron comes to us from Palo Alto University (PAU), where she has served as provost and vice president for Academic and Student Affairs since 2021. During her tenure, she strengthened academic programs through comprehensive curriculum review processes, led successful accreditation efforts, and implemented key faculty success initiatives including a faculty compensation study and new faculty development programs.
Under her leadership, PAU achieved both Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) designations. Dr. Cameron worked to create a strong culture of shared governance and data-driven decision-making at PAU, and was successful in securing significant external funding. Her commitment to academic innovation led to initiatives in digital mental health and global mental health, while expanding access through digital learning programs and maintaining rigorous academic standards.
Prior to PAU, Dr. Cameron served as chair and associate professor of Counseling at the University of San Diego from 2009-2021, where she led curriculum development, faculty recruitment, successful accreditation processes, and developed innovative global study courses across the globe. Her scholarship focuses on counselor education, leadership, and multicultural counseling, and she has been recognized with multiple awards including the American Counseling Association's Counselor Educator Advocacy Award and the Outstanding Faculty Member Award from USD's School of Leadership and Education Sciences.
A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Dr. Cameron earned her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Bradley University as a Division I student-athlete in volleyball. She earned her M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, and her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.
Carlos Nevarez, Ph.D., will continue to serve as interim provost until Dr. Cameron joins us on March 17. Please join me in thanking Dr. Nevarez for his service as provost over the last three years, where he led significant student success initiatives, including a jump in four-year graduation rates from 21% to 31%, maintaining an 81% one-year retention rate, and reducing DFW rates by 5-10% across colleges. His efforts in advancing faculty research development led to a 30% increase in grant awards, while his equity-focused leadership resulted in successful initiatives like the disbursement of $1.6 million in Provost Grants to 1,820 students to support academic success and increase graduation rates.
I also would like to thank the members of the provost search committee for their dedicated service and careful evaluation of an impressive group of candidates for this critical role.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Cameron, her husband Stefan, and their children to Sacramento and to the Hornet Family.
Stingers Up!
Support and resources for those impacted by LA area wildfires
January 9, 2025 - As you know, the horrific fires in the Los Angeles area are causing widespread and heart-wrenching devastation to many, including members of our Hornet Family. This week, Gov. Newsom declared a State of Emergency and secured a major disaster declaration from President Biden to provide state and federal support for those impacted. Our hearts are with all those affected by the fires, and we want to ensure everyone is aware of the resources available to our campus community.
The University is actively reaching out to students who live in the affected areas to ensure they are safe and to offer resources and support. University Housing and Hornet Commons are reopening early for their residents at no charge. Students who need information about how to arrange early move-in can call University Housing at 916-278-6655 or Hornet Commons at 916-226-9857.
The CARES Office is available for students in need of housing, food, or other basic needs support. It is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday, and can be reached at 916-278-5138. Student Health, Counseling and Wellness Services is open for those who need physical or mental health support.
Students who need assistance finding other resources can reach out to the Dean of Students Office at 916-278-6060 or deanofstudents@csus.edu.
Faculty and staff seeking support can visit the Employee Assistance Program webpage, which has information about free, confidential services including counseling.
As these fires continue to wreak havoc and cause devastating losses, please continue to take care of one another and yourselves, and stay safe.
Please RSVP to attend the Spring Address
January 7, 2025 - As we prepare to launch another exciting semester, all members of the campus community are invited to attend the Spring Address for important updates and information about campus initiatives and upcoming plans on Thursday, January 16, at 9:00 a.m. in the University Union Ballroom. The address will be followed by light refreshments and an opportunity for networking with colleagues. Please RSVP to confirm your attendance.
If you cannot attend in person, the livestream will be available from our campus events web page, where you can also access a recorded version of the address. ASL-to-English interpretation and real-time captioning will be provided. Additional accommodations can be requested on the RSVP form no later than Jan. 9.
Stingers Up!